A sometimes daily review of meals prepared and a list of movies
watched with a few mentions of Dudley too of course....Just a beginning.

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Saturday, February 21, 2009

African Crew 1970's

Some great times were had here in this hotel with these people. It was an amazing opportunity to get to know other cultures, languages and people. I wanted to go to Paris which had always been my dream but this was before the common market and the paperwork was not easy. Then I was told that I could start in Africa the next day so I said OK. There were two of us, a french fellow and myself, we had our choice between Gabon and Ivory Coast. He went to Gabon. I got the better deal with The Ivory Coast I think. I stayed two years and had a wonderful time. This was Intercontinental Hotels. They were very big in those days.

This fellow on the right with his hand to his face was Christian Pion. When they told me he was coming to the hotel to work i kept saying " I know that name". When he arrived it turned out we had worked together in the Carlton Tower in London a few years before. He eventually replaced me in Paris when I came to the US. Small world.

6 comments:

Jim, I don't know if you even knew just how proud we all are of you. I for one took great pleasure in telling my friends that you were a Chief, traveling around the world to places to where we only ever heard of in school. (Not me, i met the scholars at the gate) haha! Love ya

Are'nt you so lucky to have experienced all the cultures and tastes of the world, not bad for a noble Irish man. Takes guts to do what you did, leaving Ireland to discover a new world and a new you. Mam is right, she braggs about you all the time. "MY Brother Jim, the Chef, The Excutive Chef.. with his good looks and his Square Chin",She really admires you more than you know...